Civil War Museum

The Battle of Iuka, though given a small place in the history of the “Fight for Southern Independence,” was a furiously held battle on September 19, 1862, in Iuka, Mississippi. In this battle, the 11th Ohio Battery was captured, and every single man was killed. There was only one other time in the Civil War that this happened.

There have been very few harder fought battles, especially when the number engaged in battle and the time in which the battle was fought is considered. In the engagement which could not have last more than two hours, between 1,000 to 1,500 men were killed and wounded. The Federal statement, if it is to be believed, reported that not more than 6,000 men were actually engaged in conflict during the Battle of Iuka.

The original courthouse, built in 1870, was partially destroyed (the entire third floor) by fire in 1886. It reopened in its current two-story configuration in 1889 and since that time has undergone extensive restorations.

The old Tishomingo County Courthouse in Iuka, Mississippi, plays an important role in the lives of people of this area and has a 147-year history. The land where the old structure now stands was acquired in 1857 from Lemuel Hubbard, a prominent Tishomingo County landowner.

The Old Courthouse is designated a Mississippi Landmark under the provisions of the Mississippi Antiquities Act of 1972. It is also registered in the National Register of Historic Places (#73001026). The original courthouse was an early example of Romanesque Revival architecture with Second Empire style influences.

Our long-term goal is to completely rebuild the third floor and hence provide an elevator for handicap visitor access. The third story was spectacular architecture and unique. Although not restored after the fire, plans are being made to reopen the third floor for public access in the long term future.

In the 1930s, the Works Progress Act (WPA) added the annex (the L-shaped wing).

The Tishomingo County Historical & Genealogical Society became stewards of the building in 2003. Their mission is to restore the historic Tishomingo County Courthouse to its original grandeur.